Chair structure



May 18, 1943 w. M. HANsoN 2,319,597

CHAIR STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 2s, 1940 s sheets-sheep 1 me/WM Walla" [l/j. cLnsom Wltness.- v

n y @1MM/Mandy May 18, 1943 w. M. HANsoN 2,319,597

` GHAIR STRUCTURE Filed 4Feb. 28, 19'40 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm/vbo@ l' Walter- M. Hanson f, May 1s, 1943 w. M. HAIQSON 2,319,597

CHAIR STRUCTURE Filled Feb. 28, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ffl//l/,4

Walter M. Hanson WIL-H555:

Patented May 18, 1943 CHAIR STRUCTURE Walter M. Hanson, Grand Rapids, Mich., assignor to American Seating Company,

Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation ci New `ersey [application February 28, 1940, Serial No. 321,305

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to chairs, particularly such as are arranged in curved rows in theatres and the like; and its object is to provide improved means for so mounting the seats of such chairs on their standards that they may be freely movable forwardly-rearwardly thereon; and further, to provide improved means for so mounting the backs of a pair of such chairs on a standard between and common to both that they may be readily disposed and securely connected in a row of desired curvature.

These and any other and more specific objects hereinafter appearing are attained by, and the invention fmds preferable embodiment in, the illustrative chair structure particularly described in the body of this specification and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational side view of a chair, a portion of its standard being broken away to show the parts behind it;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of mounting means for the chairs seat, the standards at its opposite sides and parts adjacent thereto, taken on a vertical plane extending axially of said means;

Figure 3 is a sectional View (enlarged) of parts of the same taken on a horizontal plane extending axially of said means (the seat-supporting shaft of said means being turned in this View a quarter way from its position shown in Figure 2) Figure 4 is an elevational side View of the rear portion of the standard with the track on which the seat moves forwardly-rearwardly and the wheel which travels in the track, and a 1ongitudinal vertical sectional View of a link connecting the chair back with the seat, and parts adjacent thereto;

Figure 5 is an elevational side view of the seat and said link;

Figure 6 is an elevational side View of the upper portion of the chairs standard and a portion of the back, illustrating their pivotal connection;

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the standardand said connection, taken on line '1 -'I of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional View of said connection and the back, taken on line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a cap part oil said connection;

In chairs whose seats are movable forwardlyrearwardly on tracks which do not extend parallelly, as in the curved rows of theatre chairs, it is Very desirable that the seats be thus movable freely and without binding or sticking in the tracks. It is also desirable that such chairs be readily disposed and securely connected-in rows of the desired curvature. It is therefore the main objects of the present invention to provide improved means for attainingthe said desirable ends.

In the chair construction illustrated by these drawings, each chair in a curved row thereof has a pair of laterally spaced standards I (one standard being common to the two chairs at its opposite sides respectively), a seat 2 (supported between its standards and comprising a hollow sheet metal frame or pan 3 and upholstery II) and a back 5.

The seat is supported onr the standards by means including a horizontal shaft, designated generally 6, rotatable in the seat and having wheels l at its ends which travel in the forwardly-rearwardly extending tracks 8 mounted as' by rivets 9 on the inner sides of the standards respectively. These tracks, desirably made of sheet metal, have opposite sides It, II extending upwardly and inclinedly outwardly from each other asin the arcuate cross-sectional form seen in Figure 2, so that the wheels traveling therein may readily ride up on the sides as may be required in their forward-rearward movements along tracks which are relatively inclined in a horizontal plane.

In the illustrated construction, the shaft, designated as an entirety 6, comprises end portions I2 carrying the wheels tight on their outer ends, and an intermediate portion I3 splined thereto by its flat ends Ill slidable in the corresponding slots I5 in the inner ends of said portions I2, so that both Wheels rotate together and the seat moves at its opposite sides or edges forwardlyrearwardly at the same speed. lA spring coiled around the shafts intermediate portion presses the end portions I2 outwardly (i. e. from each other) so that the seat is yieldingly balanced between the standards and its lateral movement is yieldingly resisted and consequent rattling of the parts prevented. Preferably a pair of such springs i6 are employed, each pressing between a collar Il bearing against the inner end of an end portion I2 and the collar Il which is held in place by a cotter pin I8, as best Aseen in Figure 2, so that each end portion I2 with its wheel l is urged toward the adjacent standard independently of the other end portion`l2 and its Wheel. Itvvill beseen that by these means the wheels may move forwardly-rearwardly y'very freely in their tracks although the tracks may beV relatively inclined at a considerable angle in a horizontal plane.

The shaft end portions I2 bear turnably and slidably in bushings I9 (preferably of lubricating material as that known as oilite or the like) held in the horizontal tube extending transversely of the seat and through openings 2| in the sides 22 of the seats pan portion 3, the seat being turnable about tube 2l).

A rib 23 extends parallelly with each track and above the Wheel yand has at its ends elastic buffers 24 for cushioning the impact of the wheel, and the wheels have elastic rims 25.

In this illustrated construction, the seat is not only movable forwardly-rearwardly but may be tilted to the raised position shown in broken lines in Figure 5 from the lowered position of use shown in solid lines. In its lowered position the front end of the seat is held against turning downwardly by an elastic block 25 held in a pocket 21 in the seat and engaging -the under edge 28 of the link 29 at each side of the seat whose forward end receives, and is keyed at 30 on, the horizontal tube 20 as best seen in Figures 2 and 4, this links rear end being pivotally connected at 3| with the side or lateral edge 32 of the back 5 near the bottom thereof. The back being pivoted at 33 on the standard (as hereinafter particularly described) and near the upper end of the back, the @forward movement of the seat draws the back (i. e. its lower portion) forwardly.

My improved means for connecting adjacent chairs or their backs to a common standard so that they may be readily positioned and held in a row of required or desired curvature is illustrated in Figures '1, 8, 9 and l0, and comprises a Y pair of brackets 34 mounted turnably horizontally on the upper end surface 36 of the cornmon standard I by the pintle 31 extending through openings 38 in the overlapping foot portions 39 of these brackets respectively, and threaded in the downwardly extending bore 40 of the standards upper end portion.

A pivot member 4|, fastened as by welding en the lateral edge portion42 of the body or pan 43 of each back has a spindle portion 33 extending turnably through the opening 45 in the upwardly extending arm 46 of the adjacent bracket and is secured therein as by upsetting its inner end at 41. These openings 45 in the two brackets are at the same level, as shown in Fgure 8, and when the brackets are assembled on the upper end surface of the standard, with the spindle portions 33 in the openings 45 and the threaded pintle 31 turned into the standard as seen in said view, the two chairs may be relatively turned horizontally to posit-ion them in the desired curve` of the row thereof, and the threaded lpintle 31 may be turned Vdown tight to hold the brackets against movement. This done, an elastic rubber cap 48 may be applied to the upper ends of the brackets, having a middle plug portion 49 inserted and pressing between the brackets upper arms 46 and having opposite flanges 5U covering the edges of the brackets, whereupon a screw 52 may be passed through the caps opening 53 and turned into the threaded bore 54 of the threaded pintle 31 to hold the cap Vin place.

The invention being intended to be pointed out in the claims, is not to be limited toor by details of construction of any particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings or hereinbefore described.

I claim:

1. In a chair structure: a pair of chairs having back and a common standard therebetween; a pair of brackets having overlapping feet mounted on the standard for relative turning movements in a plane transverse thereto and having upwardly extending opposite arms respectively, the backs being mounted on said arms respectively for independent turning movements about horizontal axes.

2. In a chair structure: a pair of chairs having backs and a common standard therebetween; a pair of opposite b-rackets mounted on said standard for relative turning movements in a plane transverse thereto and having spaced arms, the backs being mounted on the brackets respectively for independent turning movements about horizontal axes; and an elastic cap pressing between said arms.

3. In a chair structure: a pair of chairs having backs and a common standard therebetween; a pair of opposite brackets mounted on said standard for relative turning movements in a plane transverse thereto and having spaced arms, the backs being mounted on the brackets respectively for independent turning movements about horizontal axes; and an velastic cap having a body portion pressing between said arms and opposite flange portions extending over the edges thereof.

4. In a chair structure: a pair of chairs having backs and a common standard therebetween; a pair of brackets having overlapping feet and upwardly extending opposite arms; a pintle extending through said feet and threaded in the standard for mounting the brackets thereon for relative turning movements ina plane transverse thereto, the backs being mounted on said arms respectively for independent. turning movements about horizontal axes.

5. In a chair structure: a pair of chairs having backs and a common standard therebetween; a pair of brackets having overlapping feet and upwardly extending opposite arms; a pintle extending through said feet and threaded in the standard for mounting the brackets thereon for relative turning movements in a plane 'transverse thereto; an elastic cap pressing between said arms and having opposite anges extending over the edges thereof; and means extending through the top of the cap and threaded in the pintle for releasably holding the -cap in place.

6. In a chair structure: a pair of chairs each having a back and a pair of laterally spaced standards, one of which is between and common to both chairs, each pair of standards having forwardly-rearwardly extending tracks with opposite sides extending upwardly and inclinedly outwardly from eachother; seats between the pairs of standards pivotally connected with the backs respectively; means for mounting the seats for forward-rearward movement including a shaft extending transversely thereof and having wheels traveling in the tracks; a pair of opposite brackets mounted on the common standard for relative turning movement in a plane transverse thereto, the backs being mounted on the brackets respectively for independent turning movements about horizontal axes.

WALTER M. HANSON. 

